Loving Vincent (2017) is a novelty movie concealing a rather darn good story. The story is about the events surrounding the death of Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, the early Impressionist artist who, obscure during his lifetime, cut off one of his ears and eventually committed suicide. The motivation driving this movie isn’t the story, good as it is, but the desire to bring van Gogh’s artistic style into a movie. To that end, 100 and more artists hand-painted every single frame of the movie (minus the ending credits, I think).
The story is told from the viewpoint of the son of a French postmaster who had known Vincent, and has come into possession of a letter addressed to Vincent. Knowing Vincent had a brother, Theo, the postmaster gives his son, Armand, the task of delivering the letter to Theo. Armand grumpily agrees.
Upon arriving at Theo’s address, however, he finds the man died months ago, and the family has moved away. He has one clue: a Dr. Gachet, who was treating Vincent’s psychological condition, may know the address of the widow of Theo. Armand had met Vincent briefly, and thus takes it upon himself to visit the scene of Vincent’s death, visit Dr. Gachet, and investigate a little bit.
Characters are vividly drawn and the story is told through flashbacks, enacting key scenes in Vincent’s life, letting us see the man behind the artist. Contradiction is piled on confusion as characters bring their own needs and viewpoints into the mix. This isn’t a retelling so much as a mystery – was it murder, accident, or suicide?
But the real stars here are the endless paintings making up the movie, some so thick with paint as to distort the scenery, others, indicating flashbacks, nearly photo-realistic in their careful renderings. My Arts Editor had a single word for the effort: Gorgeous. (Me? I actually got a little queasy. But this should be put down to illness.)
Fascinating visual treatment and a darn good story to boot? How can I not?
Recommended.
